Bin divider construction



May 29, 1956 H. s. V:NGELSCJN V2,747,959

BIN DIVIDER COE-:STRUCTION Filed June 5, 1953 BIN DIVIDER CONSTRUCTION LHoward S. Ingelson, Glendale, Calif.

VApplication June 5, 1953, Serial No. 359,919

` 3 Claims.l (Cl. S12-1140.3)

- This invention` relates tostoreequipment and particu- ."larly-to animproved divider construction for counter bins `and thelike whereby thecounter surfacemay be readilydivided into -bin areas 'of the-desiredsizes Afor segregation and display of goods.

In variety stores and the like having a great variety yofinexpensivegoods, the counter 'surfaces are divided into shallow bin areas for thedifferent items and for efficient display, it is' desirable that eachsuch binl lbe tates carrying Va large number of such'bottom boards andthe accompanying glass strips in various lengths to providemcans forchanging the bin arrangements on the counters in response to seasonaland other changes in merchandise display. The stock thus carried is notonly heavy; and bulky, but also the'changing of binarrangements is atime-'consuming operation.

' 'With'the foregoingconsiderations in mind,` it is an 1 object of theinvention Vto provide a counter bin divider` construction which isYconstructed and arranged yfor ready )variation of the binareas withoutthe necessity ofclearing the entire 'counter areaV for reinstallation ofa vdifferent bin arrangement.

--Another object of the invention is to provide a-,counter binconstruction in which at least part of the"partition members areconstructed and arranged for selective engagement with other partitionmembers for ready vari- -ation of the bin sizes without change in thebottom board arrangement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a counter bin partitionconstruction comprising primary divider elements having means forselective engagement with secondary divider elements for selectivevariation of bin sizes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a counter bindivider construction including a divider element formed of verticallydisposed, rigid material having vertical corrugations therein affordingreceiving slots or sockets for other divider elements.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects andadvantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in theparts, and in the construction, combination, and arrangement of partsdisclosed, by way of example, in the following specification of certainmodes of execution of the invention; reference being had to theaccompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and inwhich drawings:

Fig. l is a top perspective view of a portion of a counter top showingthe invention applied thereto,

Patented May 29, .1956

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Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a portion of the primary dividerelementshown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of the divider element shown in Fig. 3,

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view-0f a second form of primary dividerelement, Fig. 6 is.an-exploded view of the component parts ofthe divider.element shown in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the partition portion of the dividerelement shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring first to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1,2, 3 and4, there is shown in Figs. l and 2-a counter top C having a back board Band a front board F extending longitudinallythereof which together withend boards (not shown) form the counter top intoy a large shallow binarea to be divided into smaller areas'by suitable adjustable dividermeans for reception of the ment 1 formed of sheet metal or plastic stripand including a vertically disposed portion 2 which is verticallycorrugated with resultant formation of dividerv receiving grooves oneach side thereof, an integrally formed later- Lally extending footportion 3 longitudinally co-extensive with the vertical portion 2 and aseries of t-abelements 4 punched out of the foot portion 3 and bent toextend laterally in the plane of the foot portion from the opposite sideof the Vertical portion 2. The primary divider element -is cut tolengths to extend from the back board to .the front board of the countertop and the lengths are positioned on the counter top in spaced relationby yfalse `bottom boards 6 which overlie the foot portions and'tabelements, forming the counter top into a series, ofbin areas of'widthsdetermined by the widths of the bottom boards and of length extendingfrom the back board to the front board of the counter. These bin areasare then further subdivided by secondary divider members 7 cornprisingrigid strips of wood or other material engaging oppositely disposedcorrugations in the primary divided 'strips Vand vresting on the uppersurface of the false .bot-

torn board 6 as shown in Fig. 1. Since the corrugations are closelyspaced, the areas defined by the parallel primary members may be readilyvaried to suit different merchandise demands by placement of thesecondary divider strips. Thus it is necessary only to carry 4a fewbottom boards of various widths other than those actually in use so thatthe width of bins may be varied, together with corresponding secondarydividers for those bottom boards. The primary divider elements are allof the same length and therefore it is necessary only to carry a fewextra lengths to supply the need when more are needed. Attention isespecially called to the fact that the corrugations stiften the stripagainst ilexure along lines longitudinal of the strip and that the footportion stiiens the strip Vagainst exure transversely' of the strip.

The primary divider elements are simple to manufacture and requirelittle material and consequently are economical to produce. Preferablythe primary divider elements are furnished in long lengths to be cut toit the counters by the purchaser.

Referring next to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7,the divider element is shown-as fabricated from two separate elements.The base portion 8 is formed in the same general manner as the footportion 3 of the first form of the invention and including a lateralange portion 9, a series of oppositely extending tabs D formed from theflange 9 and a vertically disposed Adivider supporting portion 11. Thedivider component ycomprises a transversely corrugated strip of metal orplaselement is more economically formed by a rolling process and in thatdiiferent heights of divider element can be more readily stored when notin use. Further, the height of divider may be changed when desired,without removal of the base element unless at the same time the lateraldimensions of the bin are to be changed.

While the invention is primarily useful as a counter bin divider, it isalso useful in dividing storage drawers f.

and the like. Consequently, any references to counter bins will beunderstood to include all areas for which the invention may be used as apartition means.

While in the foregoing specification there has been disclosed certainembodiments of the invention, it is appreciated that in the light ofsuch disclosure modifi-v cations will suggest themselves to othersskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not to be deemed to belimited to the exact embodiments disclosed, and it is to be understoodthat the invention embraces all such modiiications in the parts, and inthe construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall comewithin the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a counter bin divider construction, a pair of spaced, parallelprimary divider elements extending between opposite vertical walls on acounter top and comprising oppositely disposed walls of a bin; each ofsaid divider elements comprising a vertically disposed portion having aplurality of vertical corrugations forming divider element receivinggrooves on both sides thereof extending from the upper edge thereof to apoint adjacent the counter top and a longitudinally co-extensive footportion extending horizontally from the lower edge of the corrugatedportion and resting on the counter top, a false bottom board forming thebottom of the bin and overlying the foot portions of said dividerelements, and a secondary divider element extending transversely to andbetween said primary divider elements and held in vertical position byengagement of the ends thereof with a pair of concavely opposedcorrugations in said prim-ary divider elements and forming at least athird side of said bin.

2. In a counter bin divider construction, a pair of spaced, parallelprimary divider elements extending between opposite vertical walls on acounter top; each of said primary divider elements having a verticallydisposed portion having at least one vertically disposed corrugationextending from the upper edge thereof to a point adjacent the countertop and having a longitudinally co-extensive horizontally disposed footportion resting on the counter top; said corrugations being transverselyop posite and concavely opposed to each other, a false bottom boardforming the bottom of the bin and overlying the foot portions of saiddivider elements, and a secondary divider element extending between saidprimary divider elements and having its ends engaging said corrugationsand forming another side of a bin defined by said primary dividerelements.

3. In a counter bin divider construction, a pair of primary dividerelements disposed in spaced, parallel re lation on a counter top andextending between opposite vertical walls on a counter top; each of saidprimary divider elements comprising 'a strip of metal having avertically disposed partition forming portion and a 1ongi tudinallyco-extensive horizontally disposed foot portion resting on the countertop; said partition forming portion being provided with a plurality ofvertically disposed corrugations extending on both sides thereof fromthe upper edge thereof to a point adjacent said foot portion, a falsebottom board forming the bottom of the bin and overlying the footportions of said divider elements, and a secondary divider elementcomprising a strip of rigid material disposed transversely to andextending between said primary divider elements; said secondary dividerelement being held in vertical position and against lateral orlongitudinal displacement by engagement of the ends thereof with a pairof concavely opposed corrugations in said primary divided elements andforming at least a third side of the bin.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS888,855 Sisco May 26, 1908 1,317,589 Noziska Sept. 30, 1919 1,598,467Weeks Aug. 31, 1926 2,082,876 Davis June 8, 1937 2,198,459 Potts Apr.23, 1940 2,529,826 Walker Nov. 14, 1950 2,589,082 Hickey Mar. 1l, 1952FOREIGN PATENTS 460,947 Germany May 16, 1928l

